China Living Stone Church pastor needs medical care

A lawyer for Pastor Yang Hua has reported that he is in urgent need of medical care.

A lawyer for the imprisoned
leader of Living Stone Church, Pastor Yang Hua, has
reported that he is in urgent need of medical care.

The lawyer visited Yang Hua in prison on 20 and
24 March, and discovered that he was “on the verge of paralysis” as a result of
severe inflammation in his legs. Medical staff at the detention centre administered
painkillers, but denied Yang’s request for injections to treat the infection.
Yang was transferred to a military hospital shortly after. Another doctor
examined Yang and recommended the condition be treated with penicillin, but
this does not appear to have been provided. The doctor also said that without
treatment, the condition could require amputation.

Yang Hua’s lawyers have written to the Guiyang
authorities asking for a review of Yang’s case; they believe he urgently needs
to be transferred to a fully functioning hospital with the required medication
and experienced medical specialists who can treat his condition. His wife has also requested to see his
medical records but has been denied. Pastor Yang is currently at the military
hospital.

Pastor Yang Hua, also known as Li Guozhi, was formally arrested on 22 January 2016 on
suspicion of “divulging state secrets”. He was tried on 26 December 2016 and
later sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

Charges relating to
“state secrets” are often levelled at activists and dissidents and can entail
certain restrictions, such as family members not being allowed to attend the
trial. Church members see this as part of an attempt by the authorities to
pressure the church into registering with the state-sanctioned religious
association, the Three Self Patriotic Movement, or face closure. In September
2016, Yang Hua’s lawyers revealed that he had suffered from serious health conditions
as a result of his ill-treatment in detention.

CSW’s Chief
Executive Mervyn Thomas said,“The consistent denial of medical care to Pastor
Yang Hua of Living Stone Church is inhumane and inconsistent with international
standards on the rights of detainees. Pastor Yang has repeatedly requested
medical treatment, and his lawyers believe his situation to be critical. We call on the Chinese
government to release Yang Hua, to allow him immediate access to adequate
medical care, and to investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment in
detention. We further call on the Chinese authorities to cease all harassment
and restrictions on other church members, and to uphold the right to freedom of
religion or belief for all.”